


30 Day BenKaru Challenge -- Day 16, No Starfleet AU

by tinynerdlet



Series: 30 Day BenKaru Challenge [16]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternative Universe - No Starfleet, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-09
Updated: 2016-09-08
Packaged: 2018-08-14 00:24:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7991809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinynerdlet/pseuds/tinynerdlet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Humans used space travel as a means of war for hundreds of years. Now, in the middle of the 24th century, humans are scattered across space and Earth is in ruins. The Sulu family made their home on a small vessel designed for transport, small fights, and some tactical maneuvers that Hikaru Sulu ensured would keep the crew alive. When the vessel is attacked by Klingons, those aboard the small vessel are given a choice that alter their lives forever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> [See Story On Tumblr](http://spoopynerdlet.tumblr.com/post/149271819373/day-16-of-benkaru-no-starfleet-au)

Simulated night had covered a majority of the fifty-two person vessel save for the cockpit. Hikaru Sulu was the only man in there, though, navigating the ship through the stars. He being the only person in the cockpit that late wasn’t a surprise. No other person aboard the ship could handle the craft by themselves if an emergency took place and everyone knew it. So Hikaru, despite his grievances, was given the night shift.

There was a man in engineering still up, but they were on radio silence. With no other souls awake to help with combat, talking over communicators was risky. Someone could pick it up, follow them, and attack without mercy or remorse, just has humans had done to others all those years before.

Most night shifts were quiet because of that radio silence. Any exception often meant a chase, a battle, or some external phenomenon the crew wasn’t expecting to run into. So when the cockpit doors opened, Hikaru was ready for some terrible news - aliens, virus outbreak, something - but instead his partner came into view and sank into the weapons bay seat next to him. Demora, Ben’s niece, was in his arms sound asleep with one of her thumbs slipped into her mouth.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Ben said, his voice a whisper. Dark circles rimmed his eyes. Hikaru didn’t have to question why.

“Thought the stars would help?” Hikaru asked.

“Something like that.”

Silence filled the cockpit. Hikaru looked back out towards the stars. Nothing had changed. He hoped nothing would.

“Do you think if we left the galaxy that we could live somewhere peacefully?” Ben asked.

“I suppose,” Hikaru answered.

Another pause. Then Ben sighed. Hikaru looked over. Ben’s face nor demeanor had changed.

“Do you think we’ll ever be able to live in peace?” Ben asked. Hikaru watched him for a moment before looking back at the stars. He let silence overtake the conversation. It never got the chance to pick up again.

A blip appeared on the radar on Hikaru’s navigation screen. He leaned forward and watched the yellow dot get closer. It was on the edge of the map so there was a chance that maybe it wouldn’t pursue, that it would veer off. It didn’t. The dot moved closer. And closer. Then it flicked to red. Attack weapons online.

“Put on the shields, Ben,” Hikaru said. He pressed the communicator button as he heard the shields roar to life, “Aoi, we’re being pursued. Alert everyone and get ready for warp.” A confirmation came from the speaker before a ship wide siren started to blare.

“Red alert, we’re being pursued,” Aoi said, his voice calm but loud above the siren, “This is not a drill.”

Hikaru heard Demora’s soft voice next to him as he entered the command codes into the console. He didn’t know what she said, but he heard Ben’s response clearly.

“Everything’s okay, starlight. Just hang on to me and don’t let go.”

“Ready, Aoi?” Hikaru asked.

“Ready.”

Hikaru grabbed the accelerator and pushed it forward. The ship jerked, cried, and then plunged into space. Stars became streaks, lighting the cockpit in brighter hues of yellow and white. Hikaru’s eyes flicked to the radar. There was a glare on the screen, but the empty circles gave him a small bit of relief. It didn’t last. The red dot emerged from the bottom of the screen and inched towards them. The craft was already at it’s fasted warp. He wasn’t sure the other ship was. He pressed a few buttons on the navigation panel.

“Ben, ready the front torpedoes,” Hikaru said. He heard the weapons console beep out of rhythm with his own fingers.

“It’s ready,” Ben said.

“When I tell you to, open fire.”

Hikaru took a deep breath, veered the ship left, and then catapulted the craft out of warp. It screeched and lurched, threatening to spill Hikaru and Ben out of there seats. Demora cried out. Crashes and thuds emanated from the closed off hall. People screamed. The sirens changed. The craft leveled out.

A moment later the pursuing ship materialized. It was a Klingon craft, it’s front panel at least four times the size of their own ship. “Fire,” Hikaru said. A beep. The torpedoes launched. At the same time, Hikaru tried to prepare the ship for another jaunt into warp. Before he could, the craft jolted. Lights flickered. People called out. Demora wailed. It was an impact. Missiles. Hikaru looked up in time to see another wave coming. He pushed down the accelerator. The ship whined but made no effort to move. The missiles hit. They tore through their shields and rammed against the side of the craft. An explosion ripped through the lower desk. The siren stopped. The lights died. Blackness took over the cockpit.

Engineering was gone.

Hikaru stared at the blank navigation panel. Labored breaths filled the cockpit. Reserve power began to kick on, but it was only a feeble attempt by the ship to stay alive. They could send a distress signal and keep life support on for a few hours, maybe, but the Klingons weren’t going to give them that time. Odds were they were preparing one last wave of missiles which would shatter the ship and send everyone spiraling into space without protection.

“I’m sorry,” Hikaru whispered. He couldn’t look at Ben. But a warm hand overtook his and pulled him.

“Come here,” Ben said. Hikaru somehow found his footing to get out of the chair. He seemed to glide over to Ben and slip into the man’s lap. Demora still clung onto Ben, but her small body gave him more than enough room. Hikaru leaned in and embraced them both. Tears surfaced. He hid them in Ben’s neck.

“I love you both,” Ben whispered. Hikaru clung tighter. He felt Demora tremble against him.

Metal began to cry. Outside the ship.

Hikaru looked. Though his vision was tear stained, he still made out the Klingon ship which wavered in the dark sea. Red and yellow fires emerged and died against the stars. Silver scraps floated nearby. Another explosion. Another scream from metal being ripped apart. The ship tilted away again before the entire craft collapsed into a momentary orange firework. The light faded. Unease settled into the drifting pieces of broken craft.

The Klingon ship disintegrated.

Hikaru eased out of Ben’s lap and watched the remains of the Klingon ship twirl and twist in a stagnant dance. He looked down at the weapons console. No lights shone. It was dead. Hikaru knew it wasn’t possible for the ship to launch any further attack, so why had the Klingon ship fallen?

His answer came with a beep from behind him. Hikaru turned. The communications panel sang out. After a moment, Hikaru eased across the cockpit and pressed the receive button. A voice entered the enclosed room.

“This is James T. Kirk from the Earth vessel Enterprise,” the voice said, “We realize that you may have no reason to trust humans, but we’d like to extend our aid to you.”

Hikaru glanced at Ben who turned the weapons console chair to face him. Demora’s eyes bore into him, though her thumb was now slotted in her mouth again. “Humans?” Hikaru mouthed. Ben shrugged.

Hikaru watched the screen and noticed, emerging the corner, a large, white vessel about the size of the Klingon ship had been with a large saucer and two engines extending from an upper stem. It looked battle torn but that hardly meant anything about it being an Earth vessel. Earth was nearly destroyed. A ship that size couldn’t be made out of any materials the planet produced. If it was an Earth craft, humans needed outside help to build it. Hikaru hesitated before pressing the response button.

“This is Hikaru Sulu,” he said. He heard a tremor in his voice and hoped that this Kirk hadn’t. “I’d like proof that you are human.”

There was a pause. The communication station let out a high pitched beep. Screen communication was open. Hikaru accepted it. The outside veil was covered by pixelation at first, but that soon melted into a cockpit that was white-toned and expansive. Several beings with varying clothes were spaced out in the video but it was immediately clear that all of them, each of the twelve, Hikaru counted, was human. Different races of human, sure, but each one seemed to come from Earth. In the middle, wearing a white tee shirt and leather jacket, was a blond man with a soft smile.

Hikaru walked closer to the screen, closer than Ben and Demora were. The bright glow illuminated his face more that the failing lights of the cockpit did.

“They are human,” Ben murmured behind him. Hikaru paused, turned his head slightly towards Ben in subconscious acknowledgement, and then looked back at the screen.

“I don’t want to seem ungrateful for the assistance,” Hikaru said, “But I’m having a hard time believing your ship is from Earth.”

“We had some help from the Vulcans,” the blond, no doubt Kirk, said, “But the only non-human aboard this ship is a Vulcan. Everyone else either came directly from Earth or we helped in dire situations, such as yourself.”

“Why would the Vulcans help humans?” Hikaru asked.

“Jim, may I?” a voice off the screen asked. Kirk looked over and nodded. A Vulcan appeared off the corner of the screen, standing firm and proper.

“Though I am Vulcan, my mother is human,” the Vulcan said, “Once the Vulcan race saw that my mother was peaceful, they began to observe the current state of humans. They believe that many humans are now peaceful and they wish to assist them in rebuilding their race.”

Hikaru watched the Vulcan for a moment and then looked back at Ben. There was hesitation in his eyes. Hikaru looked back at the screen.

“I would like to accept your help, however I have to consult with the rest of the ship,” Hikaru said, “It should only take a few minutes.”

“That’s fine, we’ll wait for you to call us back,” Kirk said. He nodded to someone off camera and communication was shut off. The image died. Space and the Enterprise appeared again.


	2. Chapter 2

Of the fifty-two members of the ship, twenty-three were still alive. Out of those remaining, only fifteen were still conscious.

Engineering was gone, as were the sleeping quarters. Those that survived were the ones running to their stations and got stuck inside the hallway when the second impact took place. They hadn’t wanted to enter the cockpit to see the face of their fate. Hikaru couldn’t blame them for that.

Within minutes, the conscious members congregated in a small meeting room that they had to pry open with a metal beam. Hikaru had summarized the situation as blandly as he good. He didn’t want a shaking voice and elation to sway what his remaining family chose to do. When he finished, only the soft, dying creaks of the ship echoed throughout the room.

“How do we know they’re telling the truth?” someone asked.

“We don’t,” another answered, “They could be controlled by the Vulcans.”

“We could be forced to work as slaves on their ship,” a third responded.

“But if we don’t take their help, we’re likely to die out here,” said a fourth.

Silence. They all looked towards Hikaru. He never considered himself a leader on the ship, but in this moment it was clear that everyone else did. That may have been the case from the moment he agreed to sit at the console during the night when all the others slept. It wasn’t just exhaustion that lead to that choice. It was trust.

“I think we should take their help,” Hikaru said. Slow nods encircled the room. Hikaru paused and left the room, returned to the cockpit, and hailed the Enterprise.

“This is Kirk,” the friendly voice said.

“This is Hikaru Sulu again. We’d appreciate any help you can give.”


	3. Chapter 3

There was no saving the ship. It was agreed that the living members of the vessel needed to be beamed aboard the Enterprise. Though some of his family didn’t seem happy with that prospect, none of them protested. Hikaru was thankful for that.

The injured and the singular ship’s doctor were beamed aboard first. After a moment, Hikaru and a number of others, including some loved ones of the injured, were beamed up. One moment he was in the meeting room of the dilapidated ship and the next he stood in a graytoned transporter room manned by two humans who seemed content with their positions. Four others were in the room, including Kirk.

“Whomever wants to see over the injured in the sickbay can follow Williams,” he said. One of the men at the door raised his hand.

Some stepped off the transporter and followed the man out the door. Hikaru and two others remained. They stepped off the transporter and walked to Kirk, who smiled and extended his hand. Greetings were exchanged as the last members of Hikaru’s family were beamed aboard, including Ben and Demora. Kirk greeted them as well.

“I’d like to show you all around the ship,” Kirk said. Hikaru led with Kirk and the others, along with two of Kirk’s crew, followed behind. Kirk explained details of the ship, allowed them to talk with any crew member they wished, and didn’t skip anything. Each department, each room, each area had some touch or fragment of humanity. Hikaru’s family asked questions, which Kirk and other members of the Enterprise answered without hesitation. And, just as promised, each crew member they ran into was as human as they were.

Their last stop was the cockpit, or the bridge, as Kirk called it. They took a turbolift to it, which moved without effort. The doors opened. The entire unit eased off the lift and into the open space.

Fifteen people made up the bridge crew, at least in it’s current state. The Vulcan that had spoken to them was still on the bridge, sitting in the large chair that occupied the center of the room. He stood immediately they entered and crossed over, his eyes solely focused on Kirk.

“No other vessels have arrived,” the Vulcan said, “It is possible that the Klingon ship did not have time to send out a distress signal. However, I do not advise staying in the area for much longer.”

“Noted,” Kirk said before turning into Hikaru and his family, “This is Spock, the only non-human aboard the ship. He’s here to help us mend bridges with members of other races, among other things.” Spock nodded towards them in greeting. Hikaru nodded back. He was sure the others did the same.

“I have an inquiry I wish to make,” Spock said, “We received the data from your vessel while you were with Jim. There was some piloting skill demonstrated during your attempt to flee the Klingons that was most impressive. Is the one who piloted the vessel during that time still with you?”

“That was me,” Hikaru said. Kirk and Spock exchanged a look before they looked back at him again.

“To everyone we save, we offer some choices,” Kirk said, “We can either take you to a human colony, take you to the planet Vulcan where you can get another ship, or you can stay aboard the Enterprise and help us. The choice you all make can be done on an individual level. If some of you want to stay with us and others want to go to a human colony or get your own ship, that’s fine. Regardless, we’d like to go to the human colony Yorktown now. It’ll offer us protection from attack, should other Klingon vessels try to pursue us, and give you the opportunity to get some goods. We’ll provide you with some currency to get what you want and need. If we leave for Yorktown now, we should be there in two days. We’ll stay there for five. You have this week to choose what you want.

“If you choose to stay on the Enterprise, we’ll train you for a position in any section of the ship you’d like. Mr. Sulu, if Spock finds your piloting skills to be that impressive, I’d like you to consider being our helmsman. We won’t force you, but your services would definitely be welcomed.”

“I’ll consider it,” Hikaru answered.

“Thank you,” Kirk said with a smile. “Now, there are plenty of empty quarters that you can all room in for now. I’ll lead you there. Spock, set us on course for Yorktown.”

With that, Hikaru’s family, along with Jim Kirk, entered the turbolift.


	4. Chapter 4

Only twenty people from Hikaru’s ship survived. On their first day in Yorktown, they held a small funeral ceremony. All twenty survivors were there. When the ceremony was over, Kirk came by to express his condolences.

The next day, Hikaru was already getting calls from members of his family. Some were staying in Yorktown but eleven others already agreed to stay on the Enterprise, including the ship’s only doctor. None of them wanted to grab a ship from Vulcan.

Hikaru sat in a temporary apartment weighing his options in silence. From the couch, he stared out the window at the city which was already blossoming with human life. It reminded him of pictures of old Chicago and old New York - cities long lost to the wars that dared to decimate their kind. The human race was continuing, living, breathing. But where was his place in that?

“You are a good pilot, you know.”

Hikaru nearly jumped as he jerked around. Ben stood in the doorway that led to the bedroom. He’d been sleeping back there with Demora and Hikaru didn’t want to disturb him.

“… you think I should go then?” Hikaru asked.

“If you want,” Ben answered.

“What will you do?”

“Demora and I will go wherever you go,” Ben said, “They have a number of children on the Enterprise already. After a skills evaluation they said that I’d be a good teacher, which they’re in short supply of on the ship.”

“Is that really what you want?” Hikaru asked.

“I want to stay with you. Where we stay is up to you.”

Hikaru stared at him for a moment before pressing on the room communicator. A light, airy voice chimed through. Hikaru asked for Kirk. A moment later, the man’s voice cut in.

“What can I do for you, Mr. Sulu?” he asked.

“I’d like to take you up on your offer, Mr. Kirk. I’d like to train to be the ship’s helmsman.”


End file.
